Uncoupling linkage mechanism

ABSTRACT

An uncoupling linkage mechanism including an auxiliary operating lever extending downward from the side of the railway vehicle and accessible therefrom, aid lever rotatable about an upper pivot and including an inwardly extending finger in contact with a pivoted rack bar of the uncoupling device. The lever is rotatable by pulley a specified number of degrees which results in approximately twice that amount of rotation by the rack bar which in turn rotates and raises an uncoupling rod which raises and lowers the coupler rotor to uncouple the railway car. The uncoupling device includes sliding elements enabling the device to remain operative during lengthwise and angular movement of the coupler.

O Umted States Patent 1 1 [1 1 3,753,504 Adler Aug. 21, 1973 [5UNCOUPLING LINKAGE MECHANISM 3,294,253 12/1966 Manyek 213/166 [75]lnventor: Franklin P. Adler, Michigan City, 3,159,285 12/1964 Adler213/219 [73] Assignee: Pullman Transport Leasing Company, Chicago, "LPrimary Exa mmer-Drayton E. Hoffman Attorney-H1lm0nd O. Vogel [22]F1led: Aug. 31, 1979 21 Appl. No.2 68,268 [571 ABSTRACT An uncouplinglinkage mechanism including an auxiliary operating lever extendingdownward from the side 2? 213/166 213/ 3 53 of the railway vehicle andaccessible therefrom, aid i g lever rotatable about an upper pivot andincluding an e 0 ea c inwardly extending finger in contact with apivoted rack bar of the uncoupling device. The lever is rotat- [56]Re'erences Cited able by pulley a specified number of degrees which re-UNITED STATES PATENTS sults in approximately twice that amount ofrotation by 3,167,189 1/1965 Cisco 213/166 the rack bar which in turnrotates and raises an uncou .572518 3/1971 Wisler 2l3/166 pling rodwhich raises and lowers the coupler rotor to 1'602316 10/1926 Y aim213/166 uncouple the railway car. The uncoupling device infiz gy eludessliding elements enabling the device to remain 3:232:444 2,1966 Halon213/166 otrlaerat vel during lengthwlse and angular movement of3,232,445 2/1966 ClSCO 213/166 t e 3 Claims, 5 Drawing FiguresPATENIEDAUGZI ms 3.753.504 sum 1 or 3 INVEN TOR FRANKLIN P ADLER ATT'Y.

PATENTEU M182] 1973 saw 2 or 3 mm Lww PAIENIEDMJB21 ms SHEU 3 OF 3UNCOUPLING LINKAGE MECHANISM SUMMARY The present invention relates to animproved uncoupling device for use in railway vehicles. An independentlypivoted operating lever is attached above the rack bars of theuncoupling device and includes a finger in sliding contact with the rackbar assembly. Rotation of the operating lever in a given amount resultsin sliding contact between the finger and the rack bars and producesapproximately twice that amount of rotation in the rack bar. Thisincreased rotation allows relative ease of operating the uncouplingmechanism since a single movement, namely, pulling the operating lever,is sufficient to operate the uncoupling device. Prior designs haverequired an initial pulling on the operating handle and subsequentraising of the lever since approximately 90" of rotation is required ofthe rack bars to uncouple the coupler. In the present invention anauxiliary pivoted lever includes an inwardly extending finger and alower handle portion. The finger transmits operator forces to a verticalportion of the rack bar and is in sliding engagement with the verticalportion so as to rotate the rack bar with rapid initial rotation of theauxiliary lever followed by slower rotation of the rack bar accompaniedby a multiplication of operator forces to throw the knuckle of thecoupler.

A purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved uncouplinglinkage mechanism wherein lifting movement is eliminated and therebyresults in a mechanism which may be operated less strenuously than priordesigns.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an uncouplingmechanism which may be quickly operated to uncouple railway vehicles.

A further object of the present design is to provide an improveduncoupling mechanism which accommodates lengthwise and angular movementof the coupler and may be readily adapted to present railway vehicleswith a minimum of modifications and which results in an improved morereliable uncoupling device.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent fromreference to the following description, attached drawings and appendedclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an end of arailway vehicle employing the uncoupling device of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view of the end of a railwayvehicle employing the uncoupling device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2with the coupler removed for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of the end of a railwayvehicle showing the uncoupling mechanism of the present invention in thefully operated position; and

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the mechanism illustrated in FIG.4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings andin particular to FIG. 1 there is illustrated the end of a railwayvehicle and the associated end sill 12 along with a coupler l4 and itsassociated draft sill assembly 16. The draft sill assembly 16 isgenerally of a welded plate assembly and includes striker plates 18, atop cover plate 20, side plates 22, and a bottom or lower cover plate24. The coupler 14 includesthe coupler portion 26 and a longitudinallyextending shank portion 28 which is pivotally mounted to a draft gear orcushioning device (not shown) and the coupler pivot pin 30. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, the side plates 22 of the draft sill assembly 16open outwardly towards the mouth of the draft sill to therebyaccommodate pivoting movement of the coupier and provide clearance forthe coupler shank 28 as when the railway vehicle is pulled around acurve.

The coupler 14 includes a depending portion 32 through which theuncoupler rod 34 is fixedly secured to the coupler to prevent itsinadvertent removal after assembly of the uncoupling device. A couplerrotor element 36 is pivotally attached to the depending portion 32 andincludes a cutout portion through which the uncoupler rod 34 isattached. The rotor element 36 moves in a substantially verticaldirection into an opening in the coupler head 26 to thereby unlock thecoupler.

The uncoupling linkage of the present invention includes an uncouplerrod 34 pivotally secured to the rotor element 36 through the hookedportion 38. As best illustrated in FIG. 3, in the unoperated positionthe uncoupler rod 34 extends transversely in a substantially horizontaldirection until the rod is clear of the draft sill assembly 16 at whichpoint a bend occurs designated generally by the numeral 40. Extendingoutward and upward from the bend 40 is a section which terminates at aloop member 42 which has a rounded configuration and moves along the topor upper bar 44 of the rack bar assembly 46. The loop member 42 includesa closed rounded portion which fits loosely around the bar 44 and alsoincludes a downwardly extending finger portion 48 which contacts thebottom or lower bar 50 of the rack bar assembly 46.

The rack bar assembly 46 is essentially a closed rectangular shaped barunit pivotally attached to the railway vehicle by the bearing bracketmembers 52,54. The rack bar assembly 46 includes inner and outervertical members 56,57 respectively. As best illustrated in FIG. 1, therack bar assembly extends away from the end sill 12 in an angleddirection being spaced away from the end sill 12 by the spacing bracketmember 58.

Referring now in particular to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be noted that anauxiliary operating lever 60 is pivotally attached at 62 to the car endsill l2 and extends downward therefrom along the outside margin of therack bar assembly 46 terminating with a hand grip portion 64. The rackbar includes a horizontally extending finger member 66 extendinginwardly of the car and adjacent the vertical portion 57 of the rack barassembly 46.

THE OPERATION To uncouple the railway vehicle it is necessary to rotatethe rack bar assembly 46 approximately from the vertical positionillustrated in FIG. 2. By utilizing the operating lever 60 of thepresent invention in combination with the rack bar assembly 46 it ispossible to obtain the required rotation of the rack bar assembly withapproximately one-half that amount of rotation by the operating lever60. The operating lever 60 can be moved its required amount by a simplepulling motion by an attendant at trackside. Thus there is no lifting tooperate the uncoupling device as is required by the prior designs. Thefinger portion 48 of the uncoupler rod 34 is in contact with the lowerbar 50 of the rack bar 46. Thus by rotating the rack bar assembly 46 theuncoupler rod 34 is rotated and may be rotated regardless of the angulardisplacement of the coupler 14 from the true center line of the railwayvehicle. During car operation, when the coupler moves to the positionsshown in phantom in FIG. 1, the uncoupler rod 34 moves along the rackbar assembly 46 to accommodate the angular and longitudinal movement ofthe coupler 14. The sliding movement of the uncoupler rod 34 allows thecar to be uncoupled when the coupler has been displaced from its normaloperation position illustrated by the solid lines of FIG. 1. Rapidoperation of the uncoupling linkage is also afforded by the operatinglever of the present invention since the operating lever need only berotated approximately one-half the amount of rotation previouslyrequired to uncouple the railway vehicle.

Because the lever finger 66 is in contact with the vertical member 57 ofthe rack bar assembly 46 and transmits forces from the operating lever60 to the rack bar assembly 46 at a point close to the pivot point ofthe rack bar assembly 46 through a short moment arm, slight angulardisplacement or movement of the lever 60 produces a proportionatelygreater rotation of the rack bar assembly 46 which in turn raises androtates the uncoupler rod 34 to open the coupler 14 and uncouple therailway vehicle. Operator forces applied to the auxiliary operatinglever 60 are gradually multiplied so that the maximum force increase andthe largest force transmitting moment arm is present when the mechanismthrows the knuckle of the coupler 14.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, when the mechanism is in the fully operatedposition the rack bar assembly 46 is in an approximately horizontalposition and is restrained from further rotation since the rotor elementhas seated in the coupler 14 thus preventing further rotation of theuncoupler rod 34. Also, at this fully operated position the operatinglever 60 is blocked from further rotation due to contact between thelever finger 66 and the rack bar member 57; since the rack bar assembly46 can rotate no further it prevents the operating lever 60 fromrotating further than the position illustrated in FIG. 4 and therebypreventing the operating lever 60 from disengaging the rack bar assembly46.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate theinvention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar asthe appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who havethe disclosure before them will be able to make modifications andvariations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway vehicle, an operating mechanism for use with the carcoupler, said mechanism including:

an uncoupler rod for use in unlocking the coupler by rotation of saidrod,

an operating lever pivotally mounted outwardly of the uncoupler rod andon said railway vehicle,

a rack bar means pivotally mounted on said railway vehicle intermediatethe uncoupler rod and the operating lever and having a verticallyextending portion in sliding engagement with said lever and havinghorizontally disposed means in sliding engagement with said uncouplerrod,

said uncoupler rod having an inner end operatively connected to saidcoupler and having an outer end including a loop portion and a fingerportion slidingly positioned on said rack means and operativelyconnected thereto to transmit rotation of the rack means to theuncoupler rod,

said operating lever having a pivot above said rack bar means and havinga laterally and horizontally extending finger member engaging thevertically extending portion of the pivoted rack means and said fingermember positioned outwardly of the rack bar means and operativelyengaging said rack bar means to thereby effect rapid initial rotation ofsame followed by a slowed rotation accompanied by an increased forcemultiplication between the uncoupler rod and the coupler to effectuncoupling of the vehicle.

2. The invention according to claim 1, and:

said operating lever including a handle portion disposed below saidfinger member for rotation of the lever.

3. In a railway vehicle having couplers at both ends,

an uncoupling mechanism for use in operating the vehicle couplerunlocking means, said uncoupling mechanism comprising:

an uncoupler rod means including a loop portion and a finger portion,

a pivotally mounted rack bar means having upper and lower bars and innerand outer vertical bar members connecting said upper and lower bars,

an operating lever pivotally connected to said railway vehicle abovesaid rack bar means and including an inwardly extending finger memberslidably engaging said outer vertical bars of said rack means, andhaving a handle portion extending below said rack bar means,

said finger member positioned outwardly of the rack bar means andinitially operatively engaging an upper portion of said outer verticalbar of said rack bar means to thereby effect rapid initial rotation ofsame followed by a slowed rotation as said finger member slides alongsaid outer vertical bar accompanied by an increased force multiplicationbetween the operating lever and the rack bar means to effect uncouplingof the vehicle,

said rack bar means positioned at an angle relative to the coupler toaccommodate operation of the uncoupler mechanism when the coupler hasbeen displaced from its normal operation position,

said rack bar means comprising a generally rectangular shaped bar unitincluding an upper bar portion which accommodates sliding movement ofsaid uncoupler rod and a horizontally extending lower bar portionengaging the finger portion of said loop portion for rotation of theuncoupler rod when the rack bar means is rotated.

0 4' l t t

1. In a railway vehicle, an operating mechanism for use with the carcoupler, said mechanism including: an uncoupler rod for use in unlockingthe coupler by rotation of said rod, an operating lever pivotallymounted outwardly of the uncoupler rod and on said railway vehicle, arack bar means pivotally mounted on said railway vehicle intermediatethe uncoupler rod and the operating lever and having a verticallyextending portion in sliding engagement with said lever and havinghorizontally disposed means in sliding engagement with said uncouplerrod, said uncoupler rod having an inner end operatively connected tosaid coupler and having an outer end including a loop portion and afinger portion slidingly positioned on said rack means and operativelyconnected thereto to transmit rotation of the rack means to theuncoupler rod, said operating lever having a pivot above said rack barmeans and having a laterally and horizontally extending finger memberengaging the vertically extending portion of the pivoted rack means andsaid finger member positioned outwardly of the rack bar means andoperatively engaGing said rack bar means to thereby effect rapid initialrotation of same followed by a slowed rotation accompanied by anincreased force multiplication between the uncoupler rod and the couplerto effect uncoupling of the vehicle.
 2. The invention according to claim1, and: said operating lever including a handle portion disposed belowsaid finger member for rotation of the lever.
 3. In a railway vehiclehaving couplers at both ends, an uncoupling mechanism for use inoperating the vehicle coupler unlocking means, said uncoupling mechanismcomprising: an uncoupler rod means including a loop portion and a fingerportion, a pivotally mounted rack bar means having upper and lower barsand inner and outer vertical bar members connecting said upper and lowerbars, an operating lever pivotally connected to said railway vehicleabove said rack bar means and including an inwardly extending fingermember slidably engaging said outer vertical bars of said rack means,and having a handle portion extending below said rack bar means, saidfinger member positioned outwardly of the rack bar means and initiallyoperatively engaging an upper portion of said outer vertical bar of saidrack bar means to thereby effect rapid initial rotation of same followedby a slowed rotation as said finger member slides along said outervertical bar accompanied by an increased force multiplication betweenthe operating lever and the rack bar means to effect uncoupling of thevehicle, said rack bar means positioned at an angle relative to thecoupler to accommodate operation of the uncoupler mechanism when thecoupler has been displaced from its normal operation position, said rackbar means comprising a generally rectangular shaped bar unit includingan upper bar portion which accommodates sliding movement of saiduncoupler rod and a horizontally extending lower bar portion engagingthe finger portion of said loop portion for rotation of the uncouplerrod when the rack bar means is rotated.